Spirit level and inclinometer



(No Model.)

J. P. FAMOUS. SPIRIT LEVEL AND INGLINOMETER No. 508,294. PatentedNov. 7, 1893.

lll ll.

IIVVENTOI? (9 WITNESSES A TTOHNEYS.

n1: mmomu. umoamwums cuMPmv.

WASHINGTON, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATIENT, OFFICE. Y

JAMES P. FAMOUS, OF NORRISTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

SPIRIT LEVEL' AND INCLINOMETER.

. SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 508,294, dated November 7, 1893.

Application filed April 1'7, 1893.

To all whom it may concern;-

Be it known that IQJAMES P. FAMOUS, of Norristown,in'the countyof Montgomery and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in a Combined Level and Inclinometer, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to'improvements in devices provided to ascertain if objects are level, plumb, or inclined, and to exactly determine the degree of'inclination from a'hori-' zontal plane, and has for its object to provide a novel, practical and convenient device of the character indicated, which will be adapted for use in constructive Work of all kinds that require the employment of such an instrument.

To this end my invention consists in the construction and combinationof parts, as is hereinafter described and claimed. 7

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.-

Figure 1 is a partly sectional and broken side view of the improvement.- Fig. 2 is an end view of the device. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on the line33 in Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view on the line 44. in Fig. 1.

The level stock A is preferably formed of hard wood'as usual, and *isfrectangular in cross section.

At the longitudinal center of the stock A, a circular aperture is formed laterally in it for'the reception of a level indicating device which is constructed as follows: A cylindrical wall a is provided as a lining for the aperture in the stock, wherein it is firmly secured by any suitable means preferably there are opposite thin metal ringsb seated in counterbore enlargements of the'aperture in the stock, which rings are fixed in place and bear upon the ends of the lining wall at. There is a cylindrical shell 0 fitted in the lining a, so as to bear loosely on its inner surface, and across the center of the shellaglass level tube (1 is located, having its bore filled with spirits and its ends secured to the inner surface of the shell, a small air bubble being permitted within said tube as usual. I The shell c is retained in place by the keeper rings 1) that are Serial No. 470,652. (No model.)

of such a width as will permit their inner edge portions to overlap the ends of the shell and loosely engage them. Upon the rings 1) glass disks e are imposed, and these are retainedinplace by the fiat thin escutcheon ter in the normally upper edge of the-same,

and in'said slot the thumb wheel his supported to rotate by its loose engagement with the pivot rod h, which is inserted through the stock at a proper point to receive the thumb wheel that is centrally perforated t0 fit thereon as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The level shell 0 is exteriorly milled with a proper tool to provide a continuous belt of fine parallel indented grooves of a suitable length, said inillingbeing effected at the center'of the shell transversely considered, so that it will be opposite the periphery of the thumb Wheel h. The thumb Wheel is preferably made of gum, and has its periphery cross grooved to mesh with the milled track on the shell 0, the diameter of the thumb wheel permitting such an engagement. By the construction and arrangement of parts as described, it will be seen that the rotation of the thumb Wheel h will correspondingly move the shell 0 and incline the level tube d, as may be required. On the outer surfaces of the rings b degree graduations are produced which may be as close as desired, so that a fineadjustment ofthe level tube may be effected to show various inclinations from a horizontal plane, or indicate an adjustment for an object'to give it a desired inclination. There is a mark made on each end of the shell .0, that when brought opposite the zero mark of each graduated ring b will indicate that the tube d is exactly level and parallel with the lower edge of the stock A, which is to enwhen the tube is adjusted as stated, the de-.

vice is then arranged as an ordinary spirit level. Each end of the stock A is shod with a cap-plate 'm that has its ends projected in the samedirection and parallel with each 1 therein and fit neatly.

other, said flanges being so spaced apart on each cap-plate that they may he slid upon the top and bottom edges of the stock that are rabbeted to allow the fianges to engage with the stock and have their exposed faces level therewith, any suitable means being used to affix the cap-plates in position. Each end of the stock A is perforated at right angles to its parallel top and bottom edges, said perforations being extended through the lower flanges of the cap-plates m. Two slide blocks 11 of similar form are provided, these being fitted into the perforations at the ends of the stock, so as to adapt them .to slide The slide blocks a are perforated from their upper ends longitudinally and threaded therein to receive the adjusting screws 11., which are loosely secured at their upper ends in the top flanges of the cap-plates m, so as to Work freely, and when rotated bya manipulation of their milled heads cause the slide-blocks to move in the stock, the lengthof said blocks being so proportioned to the breadth of the stock that they may be adjusted to lie entirely within the latter. An elongated orifice 0 is made in each capplate m near the lower edge of the stock A, and at a proper point on each cap-plate there is an indicating mark such as 0 made transversely on the edges of the orifices 0, these marks being an equaldistance from the lower edge of the stock A. A series of graduations o are produced on the surface of each slide block nand are adapted for exposure through the orifices 0, a corresponding mark on each series being located in alignment with the fixed indicating mark 0 of each cap-plate m. It will be seen that the vertical adjustment of either slide block it will, if it is projected from the lower edge of the stock A, indicate the degree of deviation from a horizontal plane in a surface to which the instrument is applied; the slide block being set to cause the bubble in the level tube to be locatedso as to indicate a horizontal position of said tube.

Upon the upper edge of the level stock A, near one end, a base plate 19 is secured, which affords a seat whereon the radial flanged portion of the shank r of the sight tube B is designed to hear, when the depending cylindrical stem 7'', which is a part of the shank, is inserted in asocket hole that penetrates the plate 19 and stock A, as indicated in Fig. 1. The sight tube B is cylindrical and fitted with a hair cross .9 near one end which is glazed, the cap of the other end having a fine perforation in it that is at the exact center of the tube, the point of contact between the crossed hairs coinciding with the axis of the tube that is parallel with the top and bottom edges of the stock A. A smalllevel tube 1/. is transversely embedded in the upper edge of the level stock A at. a point near the shank 'r, the bubble in said tube being central when the stock is level on the top and bottom edges transversely considered. When by leveling the tube (1 cause its bubble to indicate the center of the pipe on its top or lower surface, depending on the point of contact of the stock A with the pipe body.

By providing the level stock A with the.

sight tube B, means are afforded to ascertain the grade of a pavement or ground, bysighting at a fixed point which is aknowndistance from the surface of the ground, and as the tube B may be swung around to assume any position on the stock, grades may be determined at a reasonable distance in any direction, or a level may be indicated for such surfaces as require it.

The peculiar construction of the level indicating device of which at is the tube, permits said tube to receive a complete revolution so that any angle may be obtained by its adjustment, and when the tube has been correctly set by a manipulation ofthe thumb wheel 71, the frictional contact of the wheel with the shell 0 will prevent the latter from being accidentally displaced, so that r set screws to retain adjustment are notrequired.

By the provision of the slide blocksn and means for their projection, together "with the means for ascertaining their exact adjustment, any rough surfaced. object may be leveled with the instrument, and as before mentioned, the adjustment of one slide block will ascertain or give any desired grade on surfaces that may vary from a smooth condition between the points engaged by the end of the stock and the projected slide block.

It is claimed that the instrument may be conveniently used in such mechanical work as. requires the indication of angles, levels or grades. It is of great service for the leveling of building walls, timbers for any structure, or to give grades for ground work of any nature.

It will be useful in the construction of concrete work, setting curbs, placing drain pipe, and in fact can be reliably employed for all work where it is necessary to use a device of the type to which theimproyement belongs.

Having thus fully described myinvention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The combination with. a level stock of a cylindrical casing fitted therein for complete rotation,a level tube carried by such casing, and an operating wheel engaging the periphery of the casing, and projecting throughthe edge of the stock, substantially as described.

2. r The combination with a level stock, of a cylindrical casing fitted therein for complete rotation and having a peripheral milled sur IIO face, a level tube carried by the casing, and

an operating wheel of rubber or similar yieldends across the diameter of the shell, a gradu= ated keeper ring'plateat each end of the shell, glass disks thereon, and an escutcheon ring fast on each side of the stock-and bearing on the disks, substantially as described.

4. In a leveling device, a level-stock, an adj ustable level device, and a grade indicating device at each end of the stock, each comprisinga cap-plate fast on the stock ends, a slide block within an aperture of the'stock, an adjusting screw for each slide block, adapted to project it through a hole in a flange of the cap-plate, graduations on one side of the slide block, and an aperture in the cap-plate opposite the graduations, substantially as described.

5. The combination with an elongated level stock, an adjustable level tube device therein, a grade indicating slide block at each end, and a fixed transverse level tube on the top of the stock,'of a swiveling sight tube on the stock, substantially as described.

JAMES P. FAMOUS. Witnessesz WM. A. EVANS, W. H. REED. 

